Changing the General's Routine
by LadyAlambiel
Summary: Reports, barrels, and winter weather are all ingredients for changing the General's routine.


Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: Reports, barrels, and winter weather are all ingredients for changing the General's routine.

A/N: This one-shot was requested by Lady Hannah and is the backstory to chapter 12 of _Letters_. Hope you enjoy it! This is part of my _A Light in the Darkness_ universe and I recommend you read chapter 12 of _Letters_ to get the full experience of the story, but it can be read as a standalone.

**Changing the General's Routine  
**

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19 Stormfall 1006

I bounced through the halls (getting lots of strange looks too, but I couldn't help it...I sort of overindulged in my coffee last night and this morning too) until I finally bounced through the open door to my destination, not even bothering to knock as I sang out in Irish, "Ar fhéach tú lasmuigh inniu? Tá sé iontach gheimhridh iontach aimsir! Agus foirfe do troideanna snowball!" _(Have you looked outside today? It is perfect winter wonderland weather! And perfect for snowball fights!)_

The Kentauri looked up from his paperwork and shook his head at me as I hopped up to sit on the corner of his desk, "Alambiel, exactly how much coffee have you had this morning?"

"Four...and two cups of hot chocolate."

He flicked his gaze up, rather like he was praying (can't imagine it had anything to do with me), before he looked me in the eyes and said very slowly, "It is not yet noon. And, you had six cups of coffee last night."

I arched an eyebrow, "What's your point?"

He grabbed my chin, looked into my eyes, and then asked, "Did you sleep at all last night?"

I snickered, "Not really, no. I was watching the snowflakes."

Oreius arched an eyebrow but didn't comment on my middle of the night surveillance of the snowflakes, instead he let go of my chin with a sigh, "Hyper...I'm fortunate you are not bouncing off the roofs."

I grinned, "Don't be ridiculous. One only bounces off roofs in winter if the snow bank is nearly touching the roofs or if there's someone with wings waiting to catch you...actually the last one applies in summer too...and spring and fall... So, the last one applies during all four seasons." I paused then shook my head, "That made more sense before I said it."

He smirked then motioned toward the door, "Go pester the Kings or even Peridan, Alambiel. I have paperwork to do."

I frowned, "Why? It's Seventhday, Oreius. You know, the day everyone is supposed to take off from their jobs and relax."

He was already busy reading yet another report when he grunted, "It has to be done."

I leaned forward and placed my hand in the middle of the report, immediately gaining an exasperated look from Oreius, and then said very slowly, "It is Seventhday."

"I am aware of that, Alambiel."

"Good. Then, you'll have no objections to coming outside and having a snowball fight with me. It will be fun. This is the first truly perfect snowball snow we've had this winter. Besides, all work and no play makes for a very dull General and I was under the impression that Generals are supposed to be important enough that they're not allowed to be dull."

He sighed, but didn't say anything. Instead he moved around his desk to stand in front of me. _Hey, it actually worked!_ Oreius leaned down so he could look me directly in the eyes, "Alambiel, if you want to have a snowball fight, I am certain their Majesties and Peridan's children or any of the Nymphs and Fauns would be happy to join you." _Arrgh! Just arrgh! _Before I could actually voice my outrage, Oreius grabbed my waist and lifted me off his desk then walked me to the door of his study, his hand in the middle of my back pushing just hard enough to keep me from being able to stop or slow down. "Alambiel, go. I have to finish these reports." And then he shut the door behind me.

I made a face at the door. Unbelievable... The Kentauri works too hard and clearly he needs to learn that resting on Seventhday does _not_ mean reading reports. Before I'd even left the Kentauri's quarters completely, I was grinning evilly (how do I know? Everyone was giving me an even wider berth than they had when I was bouncing down the halls earlier). Oh yes, I had the perfect plan for getting that Kentauri to learn not to be so attached to his reports.

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23 Stormfall 1006

Of course, the opportunity for my master plan didn't present itself until Fourthday. However, as soon as Oreius and the rest of the officers and Peridan were locked away in a meeting, I slipped into Oreius' study. I surveyed the neatly stacked reports (Oreius has OCD tendencies at least where it comes to the reports) and set to work. Oreius was planning on sending the Kings to suffer through a training exercise on the frozen river, so I was taking advantage of that fact. I carefully wrapped the reports in the element proof coverings we used for diplomatic and military dispatches in winter or just unpleasant weather (I didn't actually want to damage them) before stowing them in three long boxes. The only reports I didn't take were the ones that Oreius locked into his desk (I could've picked the lock...but I don't pick Oreius' locks...if Oreius deems something important enough that it's for his eyes only, I am not going to bother with it and it definitely shouldn't be moved). When I carried the last heavy box down to the sled I had appropriated (ostensibly for aiding in setting up the next day's training scenario), Oreius' study was report-free. And, it was probably the first time in over six years that the Kentauri's desk was completely visible.

I dragged the sled to the frozen river and pried open the barrels sitting in the boat frozen in the middle of the river (Oreius had had it anchored there specifically just before the first freeze). It was close to noon by the time I finally finished lowering the last stack of wrapped reports into the seventh barrel (tells you how much paperwork the Kentauri has at any given moment, i.e., too much...way too much). I didn't bother with stacking the barrels; instead I went back to the Cair and waited for Oreius to realize what I'd done (I wish I could see his face when he does, I'm sure it will be priceless). I was drinking my third cup of coffee for the day (I knew I was going to need as much energy as possible) when Oreius' first letter arrived...

An hour and a half later, I was on the boat, tapping on the now stacked barrels as Oreius' glare bore into my back. "It's not as bad as you seem to think."

"If it were anyone but you, Sepphora, this incident would be written up as treason."

I looked at him, "Like anyone but me would even contemplate moving your precious reports."

He somehow managed to glare harder, "Northern. Marshes."

I made a face as I turned back around and finally tapped a barrel that sounded full. Northern Marshes with Marsh Wiggles and their eel "food"...ick, just ick. Oreius was irritated enough he might actually follow through...I pried open the lid of the barrel and grinned as the possibility of eel encounters began to fade as I pulled out the first stack of wrapped reports...

It was dark out by the time I'd finally finished finding the last of the reports. Oreius assigned two of his most trusted lieutenants (one of whom was Illusin) to deliver the contents of sled to his study. Then he glared at me, "Never do that again, Sepphora."

I watched him leave before I climbed out of the boat (I didn't _think_ he would throw me in the ocean, buuuuuut when the Kentauri is that irritated, it's better safe than sorry) and walked across the ice to the riverbank. It was an eight-mile trek back to the Cair and I was already cold...and hungry. I was making good time for the first three miles but then I crossed under a tree... I yelped and gasped as a torrent of water crashed over me and down the inside of my clothes, I could feel standing water in my boots. The snickers overhead told me who was responsible. I looked up, blinking through the already half-frozen rivulets of water running down my face, and hissed at the two brats in the tree, "Edmund! Tarrin!" I was mad but I was also suddenly at risk for frostbite and pneumonia, so I didn't say anything else and just started marching for the Cair. Only five miles to go...yay me (feel my sarcasm). When I finally reached the Cair, Alithia and Tuulea took one look at me and immediately bundled me away to bed. Next morning I woke up with a horrible, full-fledged cold (okay, it was actually pneumonia, but I never admitted that diagnosis when the Four came to check on me and Edmund and Tarrin both kept apologizing). Ugh, I hadn't realized changing the General's routine was going to end up being so hazardous to my health... Ah well, at least with the diplomatic trip to Archenland, he wasn't going to be doing paperwork and I was going to get him to agree to a snowball fight yet.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! This oneshot not only gives the backstory to chapter 12 of _Letters_, but it also describes the events occurring the week before _Concealed_ begins. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one. And, have a happy Fourth of July! **


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